Apparatus for positioning components



` Feb. 23, 1965 E. H. cRAvr-:R 3,170,232

APPARTUS FOR POSITIONING COMPONENTS Filed Aug. 29, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f -37 22 59 2/ /ls far A r 70m/Ev f .Y ,3,170,232 e APPARATUS FOR PUSITIQNENG CGMPONENTS VEdward H. Graver, Winston-Salem, NC., assigner toV Western Electric Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York rues Aug. 29, 1961, ser. Ne. 136,396

7 Qlaims. (C1. 29-27 1) 'Ihis invention relates to apparatus for positioning components and more particularly to a device for positioning components in the center of an enclosure. 'Y

In the assembly of components it is loften necessary `to accuratelyposition certain components' relative to each other. It is especially important in the assembly of a rod-like component within a tube or waveguide toprecisely center the component between two opposing walls of the waveguide. Y r

An object of this invention isto provide a new and United States Patent O improved device for positioning a'cornponent relative to v anotherco'mponent for assembly.

Another object of this invention 1s to provide a'mobile l device for accurately centering an electrical component ,h

between two opposing walls oftawaveguide.

An additional object of this invention resides 1n a carriage for positioning clamping facilities in the center of an enclosure and apparatus for actuating the clamping facilities to hold a componentcenteredin the enclosure.

VAV further Vobject of this invention is the provision of opposed pairs of crossed links for `centering Ya clamp device between-opposedV walls of 4an enclosure wherein control handles are lprovided for positioning the crossed links in the :enclosure and for operating the clamp de` vice'.- 1` y Still another object of this invention resides in acarriage having wheels mounted to theextremities offop- 'posed pairs of crossed links 'wherein resilient Vfacilities urge the wheels into engagement with the` walls of an `enclosure for centering a clamped component between the walls.V g

A still further provision of a` carriage for supporting a clamp in' the center of a waveguideand aresi'lientpmechanisrn for ac- 'tuating the clamp to hold an electrical component cientered in the waveguide.

- :With these and other objects in view, the'` present inobjectiof this"invention resides in thevention contemplates a centeringdevice having pivotally i supported pairs of crossed links together with facilities for holding a lcomponent against the joint formed by l the intersecting crossed'links. Wheels rotatablymounted on the ends of the links are urged by springmecha'- `nisms into .engagement with opposite walls of a tube so that the rnidpoints ofthe links are centered between= v the walls.

A clampinterposed between .the pairs of links atthe midpoints is alsocentered between the walls.

`.Control handles, connectedto the crossed links and'to the clamp, are manipulated for moving the wheels Vinto 3,170,232 Patented Feb. 23, 1965 Fr* m A ICC FIG. 3` is a sectional view taken online 3--3 of FIG.

1 showing a clamp frame supported by the crossed links for positioning arms ofithe clamp'. at a predetermined distance from the walls of the tube;

FIG; 4 is a seeuonn View raken Online 4 4 of FIG:A

lshowing a carriage frame for pivotally supporting the crossed links; and

. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 545 of FIG.V

1 showing a trailer frame supported on wheels for movement relative to the carriage frame shown in FIG. 4 for actuating the arms of the clamp. t

Referring in general to FIG. 1, a carriage 15 is shown provided with two pairs of links 16 pivotally mounted on a rst H-shaped or carriage frame 17. The links 16 cross at their midpoints androtate on pivot pins 18 Iprovided on a lsecond H-shaped or clamp-1 rarnen19. f

When the carriage 15 is inserted intoV the open end of a hollow enclosure orV tube such as a waveguide 21, compression springs 22am; effective to urge two sets of wheels 211iV and 24-mounte`d onV the crossed links 16 outvwai'dly into engagement with the opposite walls 26 and 27 of the tube 21 :so that the pivot pins 18 of the crossed Vlinks 16 and th-e clam-p frame 19 are positioned in the Crescent-shaped arms A28 andV center of the tube 21. 29 of a clamp 30 are pivotally mounted on the clamp fram-e 19 and are thereby/centered withrespect tothe walls 26 and 27 of the tube :241 for holding a componentl l 31. Control handles, generally referred to by they refer? ence numeral 32, are manipulated to adjusta trailer 33 axially in the tube 21 relative to the `carriage 15 for mov--` ing the arms 28 and 29 ofthe clamp'30. Jaw portions 35 of the arms 28and 29 hold the component 31 against the crossed, links 16 sothat the componentl '31 isiposiof the tube 21.

Carringe i tioned equidistantly from the opposite walls V26 and 27r .Y

i Referring mueran to FIGS. 1. m14, the "carriage 1s v isshown including Athe carriage'fraine 17 which is pro- Yvided with slots 37 for D'receiving axles 38 betweenthe extremitiesv of opposed 'arms 39 of the frame 17. The

axles '3S rotatably supportf one end of the links316 and also support .the wheels 23 and24 lwhich are received in Y slots 47 formed in the sameend links.

A jcutoutportion 48 is formeduatlthe irnidpointjof` v"each link 16 (FIGS. 1 and 4). An aperture Vcentered between the walls of ythe cutout portion 48 is formed through the links 16 for receiving `the pivot pins 18 that arethr-eaded into a cross-bar portion )49 of theclamp name 19. (FIG. 3).

engagement with the Walls and for operating the clamp i to hold a component centered between the wallsof the tube.

A complet-e understanding of this invention may be had by referring to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, in which;

FIG. 1 is` aside elevational view of a carriage for `supporting a component clamp between opposed walls of a tube and a control mechanism for actuating the clampaccording to the principles of the invention;

FIG."2 is a cross sectional plan viewltaken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing two pairs of opposed crossed h links provided'with wheels `for niovably supporting the carriage;

Axles 50 are also interposed betweenthe4 free ends S3 of thejcrossed links'16. Four wheels 23 and 24amV mounted for rotation on the axles 50 and" are received in lslots 51 provided in the f-ree endsV 53 of the crossed links 16 (FIG. 3). W

Aligned apertures 54 (FIG. 2) are formed in 'each `of the axles 38 and 5t) for receiving rods` 56'and 57 as shown in FIG. 1. A block 58 is fastened to oneend of the 'axles 38 and S6 toward each other so that the upper Y and lower sets of wheels23 and 24 arerespecitvely iirged outwardly into engagement with the upper and lower walls 26 and 27 of the tube. Inasmuch as tliepivot pinsl-Spass through theV pairs lof crossed links 16lat-a point thatis 3 Y equidistant from the ends of the links, the pivot pins 18 are thus positioned in the center of the tubeV 21.

, Clamp "Referring to FIGS. V1 and 3,. it is apparent that' the clamp frarne 19`is supported bythe pivot pins 18 in the centerof the tube 21.y ,Shafts `62 and 63 are received in opposed apertures" formed through the extending 'arms 64 of the clamp frame'. The crescent-shaped clamping arms 28 and^29 are pivotally mounted on the` respective shafts 6,2 a'nd '63'. at a point-intermediate their ends. An arm operatingglinkS is pivotally connected to one end of each of the arms for rotating the arms on the shafts into the position shown in FIG. VlV wherein a component 31 is engaged and urged by the jaw portions 35 of the arms into engagement with the crossed links 16. It may be appreciateddhat the component 31 is thereby held by the jawp'o'rtion's 35'inthe'position shown in FIG. l in horizontal alignment with the joint of the cross links 1d and is thus centered between the walls 26 and 2'7 of the tube 21.

' T raler 4 A clamp-operating device or trailer 33-is connected to the operating links 65 for moving the links relative to the v tions 35 of the clamp arms 28 and 29.

It may be appreciated that if the operator holds the first control'handlev 74 at a fixed positon tothus hold the second frame 19 at a fixed position, the second control handle Si) may be moved axially for advancing the carriage frame 17 relative to the clamp frame 19. The sets of wheels 23 and 24 on the crossed links 16 may thus be moved toward or away from the walls 26 and 27 of the tube 21 depending upon the direction of movement of the second control handle 3f).

- Assuming'that theV operator desires to insert and center a component 31 in the tube 21, the operation of the centering device is as follows. The operator placesthe carriage and trailer 33 on a suitable support such as a' table (not shown). The operator then holds the first control handle 74 ata fixed position. The third control handle 85 is then moved axially away from the first control handle for pivoting and opening the jaws 35 of clamping-armsy 28 and 29.-- The component 31 to be centered isthen placed against the crossed links 16 (as shown in FIG. l) and the third control handle' 85 is rethe trailer frame so that the wheels 70 are free only to rotate. Y y

With this construction, it is contemplated that successive waveguides will have approximately the samerdimensions. However, where the dimensions of 'successive waveguides are substantially different, the present centering apparatus can be modified by spring loading and slid- `ably mounting the wheels 70 so that the Wheels are urged voutwardly into cngagementwith the opposite walls of the tube21. u Contro] handles Control handles j3 2 are' provided 'for enablinganoperbator to insert the carriage 15 and trailei 33 into a tube o1' ,waveguide and to operate thek clamp 3Q'.- Referring to FIG. 1, a first control handle 74 includes a solid 'rod`75 fthatI is slidably mounted ina first control sleeve 71l which is `in turn slidably received ina second control Ysleeve 86. A neck or'reduc'ed diameter portion 79 of the r0d75 is forced into and' thus frictionally secured in an t,aperture formed in the clamp frame 19. Thctrst con-V `troljsleeve 7 1 is'provided with laknurlved handle yportion 80. The sleeve'71" is slidably mounted over the first conltrol handle" 74 and is held in an aperture 77 formed in the carriage frame 17 by a pin 81 (as shown in FIG. 1 A compression spring 82 is mounted about the outer periphery of the'first sleeve 71 between the carriage and'trailer frames for urging the carriage frame 17 against a collar 84 that may be adjustably fixed to the first control r-od 75 (FIG. 1). When the carriage frame 17 is urged against leased. The action of the compression spring 82 urges the trailer 33 toward the right (as viewed in FIG. 1) away from the carriage frame 17, so that the jaws 35 return to the clamping position and hold the component 31 against the crossed links 16. The operator then grasps the second control -handle 80 and advances vit axially along the first handlef74. The carriage frame 17 is thereby advanced away from the'clamp frame 19, whereby the upper and lower sets of wheels 23 and 24 of the carriage 15 move inwardly toward each other so that the sets of wheels are spaced apart: less than the dis- "tance between the walls-26 and 27 of the tube 21. While holdingthe control handles 32 in this position, the operator 'theninserts the centering'device inthe tube 21. 'The operator then releases the second control handle 'clamp frame 19, and thus the'clamping arms 28 and 29 and the component 31 to be centered, are thereby positioned in the center yof the tube 21.

If the component 31 is then permanently` attached to the tube, the operator can releasethe component by -manipulating the handles, andrnore particularly, the operator holds the first control handle 74 at a fixed-position and 'advances the third control handle 85 away from the first control handle 74 against the action of the compression spring 82. The clamping arms 28 and 29 are there- 'by moved intoV an open posi-tion for yreleasing the coinponent '31`whereupon the carriage 15 vand trailer 33 may be removed from the tube 21.

It is to be understood that the above-described ar- VVrangements are simply illustrative of the application of vthe principlesV of this invention. Numerous other arthe collar 84 by the spring 82, the trailer 33 is` urged to the 'right (as viewed in FIG. l), whereby the clamp-operat- "ing links urge the clamping arms 28 and 29 into the clamping position for holding' the component 31 against the crossed links 16 as shown in FIG. l. Thus the clamping arms 28V and 29 are automatically urged into clamping position by the compression spring 82.

A third control handle 85 is provided for manually adjusting the position of the jaws. The third control handle 85 includes the second control sleeve S6 that is slidably mounted onthe first control sleeve 71 and which is received in an aperture 76 provided in the trailer frame 67. By holding the first and second handles 74 and 80 rangements may be 'readily devised by those skilled-in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for positioning an element within an enclosure, a plurality of pairs of crossed links positionable within said enclosure, a common pivot pin passing through each pair of crossed links at the intersections to form common pivot joints, means for urging said links to pivot about said common pivot pin to move the extremities of said links into engagement with said enclosure, 'anarm having a jaw for holding the component against the common pivot jointsLmeans for pivotally mounting 4said arm, and means for nrging'said arm to clamp means having opposed jaws pivotally mounted on said clamp frame lfor holding a K'c'omponent, trailer means supported on said opposed surfaces, means pivotally interconnecting said clamp means and trailer means for imparting movement of said trailer' means to said clamp means, and means interposed between the carriage means and the trailermeans for urging the trailer means away from the carriage means to pivot the opposed jaws into engagement with a component.

3. In a device for centering a component between opposite walls of an enclosure, a clamp frame, pairs of crossed links pivotally mounted to said clamp frame at a point equidistant from the ends of the links, a carriage frame pivotally connected to one end of each link for supporting said ends,- roller means mounted for rotation on the opposite ends of said links for engaging the opposite walls, means for urgingthe pairs' of links on said clamp frame to move the roller means against the opposite walls, andclamp means mounted on said clamp frame for holding a component against the pivot jointV formed by said crossed links.

4. In a device for centering a component between ,opposed walls of a tube, a earriageincluding two pairs of pivotallyrnounted'crossed links having wheelsmounted for rotation on the ends of the links, a frame interposed between the two pairs of crossed links at the pivot `points of the links, means provided on the carriagegfor urging the crossed links to rotate the f wheels into engagement with the walls of the tube, clamp means mount- Ved "on the frame for,V holding a component lagainst'the pivot points, means mounted for axial rolling movement-in the tube relative to the frame for operating the clamp meansgand means interposed between Vsaid'carriage and the operating means forrolling the 'clamp operating means axially in the tube away from' the carriage to close the clamp means. v

5. In a device for centering a component between opposite walls of an enclosure, a clamp frame, pairsiof links crossed and pivotally mounted -to the clamp frame at a point equidistant from the ends lof the links, a carriage frame pivotally connected tofone end of each link that extends in a common direction from said point for supporting said ends, roller means mounted for rotation on the endsof said links for engaging said opposite walls, a iirst control means fixed to the clamp frame for `moving the vclamp frame withinthe enclosure, second control means iixed `to the carriage frame for moving the'V ycarriage frame` relative to the clampvframe `to pivot the links to move the roller means into engagement with the walls, a clamp having a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said clamp, frame for holdinga component against the intersections of said crossed link centered between lsaid opposite walls, and third control means connected to said jaws for urging the component.

6. In a device for centering 'a component between opposed surfaces, two pairs of links crossed 'at the midthe jaws into engagement with point of the links, a clamp frame, means for pivotally supporting the pairs of links at the midpoints, on said clamp'frame, a carriage frame pivotally connected to one end of each link that extends in a common direction from said midpoint, axles supported by the extremities of the links,V said axles extending between the extremities of the links of one pair and the corresponding extremities of the links of the other pair, wheels rotatablymounted on the axles, resilient means vconnected between pairs of axles for urging the axles together to pivot the links and advance the wheels outwardly into engagement with the opposed surfaces, a pair ofv crescent-shaped clamping jaws pivotally'mount'ed to said clamp frame for holding-.a component against the intersections of said pairs of crossed links to center the component between saidV surfaces, operatingrmeans connected to the jaws for pivoting said jaws on said Vclamp frame, and resilient means interposed `*between the operating means and the carriage frame fory rendering the operating Vmeans effective to pivot the jaws into position to 'hold the component. i

7. A device spaced pairs of crossed links positionable within said enclosure and pivotally mounted at the centers theremeans renderedA effective upon the release of Vsaidrtirst and second means forfurging the extremities of said crossed links intoengagement with the opposed` Walls of said enclosure and for moving the clamp means into engagement with the component.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,547,354 werdeng-. Ap1-.3,'1951 2,615,413 i Adams et al ..-jOct. 28, 1952,L

2,878,555 t Hess v. Mar. 24, 1959v for positioning a componentin an enfr closure having opposed walls comprising 30 l 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR POSITIONING AN ELEMENT WITHIN AN ENCLOSURE, A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF CROSSED LINKS POSITIONABLE WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE, A COMMON PIVOT PIN PASSING THROUGH EACH PAIR OF CROSSED LINKS AT THE INTERSECTIONS TO FORM COMMON PIVOT JOINTS, MEANS FOR URGING SAID LINKS TO PIVOT ABOUT SAID COMMON PIVOT PIN TO MOVE THE EXTREMITIES OF SAID LINKS INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ENCLOSURE, AN ARM HAVING A JAW FOR HOLDING THE COMPONENT AGAINST THE COMMON PIVOT JOINTS, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID ARM, AND MEANS FOR URGING SAID ARM TO PIVOT SAID JAW TOWARD SAID COMMON PIVOT JOINTS. 